


inbox full

by distortionist



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: (i love oddly specific tags), Final Fantasy XV Spoilers, Found Family, Gen, Grieving, Hurt/Comfort, Phone Calls & Telephones, Voicemails, the comfort is. very vague and not entirely there. :(
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 13:08:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29950443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/distortionist/pseuds/distortionist
Summary: noctis wakes up from the crystal with a full voicemail box. he spends his final night before defeating ardyn listening to the old messages left from his friends.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	inbox full

**Author's Note:**

> HI this is?? a very weirdly formatted fic but i hope it’s still easy to comprehend!! i was listening to the mabel podcast and i just. love the “voicemails i left because deep down i knew i was just talking into the void, and thus i was incredibly vulnerable as i spoke utter nonsense into the phone” concept
> 
> p.s. the song iris sings in one of her voicemails is ‘us against the world’ by kanaya :’) it’s a good chocobros(+ iris) found family type song

| INBOX: 99+ NEW VOICEMAILS. |

-

DATE: X/XX/XXX

SENDER: PROMPTO

LENGTH: 0:47

TRANSCRIPT: “Hey, Noct. Uhm, I mean— I don’t know. It’s not like you can actually hear this. I don’t know why I’m sending this, I just— I miss you. 

[UNINTELLIGIBLE] 

It’s been... Four months, I think? It’s hard to keep track. It’s always dark out, no matter what, and— I just keep working the days away anyways. Rebuilding this, hunting that. Time is— I don’t know, dude. It’s barely passing anymore. Every day’s the same, it’s like— It’s like these past four months have just been one super long, never ending day, y’know?

It’s— It’s not the same without you here, Noct. We all miss you. Iggy’s been restless as hell, and Gladio keeps running off doing all sorts of reckless shit. We— Gods, Noct, we miss you.

Come back to us soon, okay?”

-

DATE: X/XX/XXX

SENDER: IRIS

LENGTH: 2:36

TRANSCRIPT: “[UNINTELLIGIBLE] Hey, Noct! It’s Iris. I know it’s... kinda dumb, leaving a message like this, when you’re asleep in some crystal and can’t hear me, but, well... I don’t know. I just— I need to vent a bit, I guess. And Gladio, he’s... He’s always out hunting nowadays. Can’t get him to sit still long enough to hear me out. I tried talking things out with Prompto, but we both just ended up crying on each other. And... I’m not really sure where Ignis is, to be honest. 

So. I guess your old voicemail box is as good as it gets for now. 

Uhm— I miss you. A lot. I don’t know if I ever told you, but. You’re like an older brother to me, y’know? I guess Prompto and Ignis are like brothers to me, too. 

[SNIFFLING]

Sorry, sorry— I promised myself I wouldn’t cry, but I just— Dammit. I miss everyone. Gladio’s always throwing himself at daemons, and— and I don’t know how to ask Ignis for help, he’s already making himself so busy— I just. Gods. I feel so lost, you know? I’m just a kid, I can’t— I can’t navigate the apocalypse on my own. But who else do I even have now? 

Just you and your old voicemail box, I guess.

[SNIFFLING] 

Hey, uhm— Remember that time you saved me? When we were both kids, and I got lost chasing a cat around the courtyard? And you took the blame for it? I don’t— I don’t think I ever thanked you for that properly, even after all these years. So— Thank you. For everything, actually. 

I hope you’re okay. Come back to us when you can, Noctis. Please.”

-

DATE: X/XX/XXX

SENDER: PROMPTO

LENGTH: 1:34

TRANSCRIPT: “Hey, Noct. I know I left you a voicemail last week, but— I just. It’s nice to talk to you, I guess. Which is stupid, because I’m not even talking to you, I’m just speaking into a phone and sending shit to a voicemail box that might never be opened again—

Sorry. That’s... morbid. I should be more optimistic. But it’s— Well. It’s not always easy. I know I’m Prompto Argentum, local ray of sunshine, expert in blind optimism, yadda yadda yadda, but, like— I can’t... I can’t always be that, I guess? It’s hard. The sun never comes out anymore. You aren’t here to laugh with me. Gladio and Ignis keep getting more and more distant. I miss— I miss how things used to be.

I miss going to diners at three in the morning, and falling asleep on motel floors, and blasting the radio in the Regalia. I never wanted the ride to end. I had the time of my life, even though everything was falling apart.

I got to be somebody, even if only for a little while. I wasn’t a clone, I wasn’t a weapon, I wasn’t the lonely kid in the back of the class— I was just Prompto Argentum. I’m not sure what that makes me now. 

Now, I think I’m just... Existing. I’m here, but I’m not really living. 

I miss you, dude. 

[UNINTELLIGIBLE]

Sorry, Cindy! I’ll come help in a sec! 

Uh— Bye, Noct. See you soon, I hope.”

-

DATE: X/XX/XXX

SENDER: IGNIS

LENGTH: 0:11

TRANSCRIPT: “This is— This is foolish. I’m not sure why I’m even bothering. I’m sorry.”

-

DATE: X/XX/XXX

SENDER: IRIS

LENGTH: 0:26

TRANSCRIPT: “Hey, Noct! It’s Iris again. Just, uhm, saying hi, I guess. Hope you’re doing well. Come back to us soon, okay? We miss you. So much. Love you.”

-

DATE: X/XX/XXX

SENDER: IGNIS

LENGTH: 1:29

TRANSCRIPT: “I’m not... really sure why I’m doing this. Perhaps it’s comforting to hear your voice again, even if it’s just a constant repeat of your voicemail message. I think I have it memorized by now: ‘Hey, it’s Noctis. I’m probably at school or doing royal stuff, so leave me a message if it’s important.’ 

I think the worst part is— The worst part is that it’s a lie. You’re not at school. You’re not tending to royal duties. You’re not even wasting time at the arcade, or training with Gladio, or spending His Majesty’s day off with him, you’re just—

You’re just gone. Logically, I know that you’re... You’re here, somewhere. Asleep inside the Crystal. 

But in everyone’s hearts, you’re— You’re just gone. Whatever. It doesn’t— Never mind. This is a waste of time.”

-

DATE: 8/23/XXX

SENDER: PROMPTO

LENGTH: 0:13

TRANSCRIPT: “Hey, uhm. Happy birthday, Noct. 

I’m sorry you’re not here to celebrate it.” 

-

DATE: X/XX/XXX

SENDER: GLADIO

LENGTH: 1:00

TRANSCRIPT: “Look, I’m not one for stupid sentimental shit like this— You already know that, I don’t know why— I don’t know why I’m saying that. You already know. I just.

It’s not right without you here, and I can’t say that to your face, so. I’ll just say it here: I miss you. I can— I can deny it all I want, act like I’m perfectly fine, but— You’re not here, and that’s... That’s not right. You should be here, telling me to quit being so fuckin’ sappy, or to get my shit together. You should— You should be here, Noct. 

Maybe if I’m lucky, you’ll never come back to hear this, because it’s embarrassing. But. I know you. You’re gonna come back some day, because you’re persistent like that. Just— Hurry it up, would you?”

-

DATE: X/XX/XXX

SENDER: PROMPTO

LENGTH: 0:12

TRANSCRIPT: “Hi, Noct. Uhm— I saw a black chocobo today. It made me think of you. Hope you’re alright.”

-

DATE: X/XX/XXX

SENDER: IGNIS

LENGTH: 0:30

TRANSCRIPT: “[UNINTELLIGIBLE]”

-

DATE: X/XX/XXX

SENDER: IRIS

LENGTH: 3:49

TRANSCRIPT: “Hey, Noctis, it’s Iris. Hope you’re okay. I— I don’t have much to say. I just... wanted to hear your voice again. Even if it’s just a recording. 

I helped Gladio take out some daemons today. We... found a young girl while we were hunting. She— She wasn’t... We were too late to save her. We... We couldn’t do much other than quickly dig up a grave for her and leave a small prayer. It was kind of terrifying, burying the body of a girl only a few years younger than me.

Sometimes I wonder what it was like for the first person to ever have been buried after death. They must have been so loved, right? For everyone around them to say, ‘I want to protect you from the rain, and the snow, and the animals, and any other possible harm, even in death. I want to keep you warm and safe, even though you’re no longer here.”

It’s— It’s like, uhm... ‘If I can’t hold you in my arms anymore, then I’ll let the earth hold you in my stead.’ If that— If that makes sense. Sorry. That was weird, I just—

[CRYING]

She was just a kid, man. And the daemons, they— Gods. It was awful. I miss how things used to be, Noct. I want— I want to go home, I want my dad, I want— 

I want anything but this.”

-

DATE: X/XX/XXX

SENDER: PROMPTO 

LENGTH: 0:58

TRANSCRIPT: “Hey, buddy. Uhm. I feel... weird. Today has been... all sorts of wrong.

It’s been— What? Two years since you went to sleep inside the Crystal? It’s— It’s weird how fast time flies, huh? Sometimes I kinda lose hope that you’ll ever come back, because— I mean— Two years is a long fucking time. But... I know you’re more than that. You’ll be back eventually.

I just thought maybe it would hurt less by now, y’know?”

-

DATE: X/XX/XXX

SENDER: IRIS

LENGTH: 0:17

TRANSCRIPT: “[UNINTELLIGIBLE SINGING] —nning away, our backs against the world; Running away, our heads up high. 

We haven’t lost everything, you see. What we have left is here.

[CRYING]”

-

DATE: X/XX/XXX

SENDER: GLADIO

LENGTH: 1:02

TRANSCRIPT: “[SILENCE]

Gods. This is stupid. I’m sorry. I just— It’s so fucking weird without you here, and I hate it. 

I grew up with you. I grew up knowing I’d be spending my entire life protecting you. My— My whole life was centered around you, and now that you’re not here, I just...

It feels wrong, I guess. I don’t... I don’t like to be so sentimental and shit, but— Life without you feels. Just. Wrong. I always had this one central thing grounding me all the time, it was— It was always ‘train Noctis’, ‘protect Noctis’, ‘make sure Noctis is taking care of himself instead of being a dumbass.’ But you’re— You’re not here. And I don’t...

I don’t really know what I’m doing, I guess.”

-

DATE: X/XX/XXX

SENDER: PROMPTO

LENGTH: 0:25

TRANSCRIPT: “[UNINTELLIGIBLE] —pe you’re okay, dude. Sorry if this cuts out, by the way. Signal’s weird where I am. 

Not... that it really matters anyways. You’re not gonna actually hear this. Uhm. I hope you’re doing okay anyways, though. Love you.”

-

DATE: 8/23/XX

SENDER: IGNIS

LENGTH: 1:03

TRANSCRIPT: “This is the fourth time your birthday has passed without you here to celebrate it. It’s... unsettling. Uncomfortable to think too hard about.

Sometimes, I still catch myself measuring out my days based on you. In the morning, I think, ‘I’d be waking Noctis up for training right now.’ In the afternoon, it’s, ‘Noctis would be nagging me to make him lunch right now.’ At night, I remember all the times you asked me to tell you stories before bed, so you could fall asleep thinking about that rather than the nightmares you used to always have.

I... hope you aren’t having any nightmares. I’d feel awful if I found out you’d been having four years worth of nightmares with no one to help ease the pain.

Then again, I suppose that’s what we’re all going through nowadays.” 

-

DATE: X/XX/XXX

SENDER: PROMPTO

LENGTH: 0:09

TRANSCRIPT: “Hey, Noct. Hope you’re alright. Come home soon, okay? We still miss you.”

**Author's Note:**

> The sun is finally beginning to rise by the time Noctis finishes listening to the dozens and dozens of voicemails left over the decade he was away. He bites the inside of his cheek for what feels like the millionth time to stop himself from crying, not wanting to wake his sleeping brothers. He shakily sets his old phone down, blinking back tears as he runs his fingers through Prompto’s hair.
> 
> They’d all kept him in their hearts for the entirety of those ten years, documenting their journeys and singing him songs and wishing him well. That thought is far too much to bear, and Noctis nearly wakes Prompto up when his hands start shaking.
> 
> “Hey,” comes Gladio’s voice from behind. “Get some rest, Noct.” 
> 
> Noctis nods, and Gladio reaches out to ruffle his hair. It fills Noctis’ heart with nostalgia and grief, and he can’t think to do anything other than collapse into Gladio’s arms and sob his eyes out.


End file.
